Funding US batteries, and Elon Musk’s Twitter deal is nearing completion

The US is on a local weather tech spending spree. Over the previous yr, federal motion has put aside a whole bunch of billions of {dollars} for vitality and local weather. Now, we’re beginning to see a few of that cash truly get handed out.

The Division of Power introduced about $2.8 billion in grants to firms working to make battery supplies and parts within the US final week, becoming a member of what looks like an infinite stream of bulletins from firms constructing EV and battery manufacturing within the US over the previous a number of months.

However whereas that is an thrilling first step to getting extra batteries constructed within the US, these deliberate amenities are in a deceptively small a part of the battery provide chain—and threat stealing focus from different essential, early levels of the availability chain too. Learn the total story.

—Casey Crownhart

Casey’s story is from The Spark, her new weekly publication overlaying all issues vitality and local weather. Signal as much as obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday.

Delve again into a few of Casey’s most up-to-date points:

• Why scientists need to assist vegetation seize extra carbon dioxide. Casey sat down with Pamela Ronald, a plant geneticist on the College of California, to listen to extra about her new plan to make use of superior genetics for carbon removing on farmland. Learn the total story.
• How hydrogen and electrical energy can clear up heavy trade. “Laborious-to-Clear up Sectors” is a time period that’s more and more bandied round on the subject of applied sciences designed to deal with the local weather disaster. However what does the time period imply, precisely? Learn the total story.
• Inside a battery recycling facility. Casey took a visit to Reno, Nevada, to go to an enormous new battery recycling facility from Redwood Supplies earlier than it opens its doorways. Learn the total story.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the web to seek out you at present’s most enjoyable/vital/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.

1 Elon Musk is edging nearer in direction of shopping for Twitter
If the deal closes on Friday, he’ll turn into extra highly effective than ever. (NYT $)
+ In his idiosyncratic style, Musk arrived at Twitter HQ with a sink. (WP $)
+ He seems to have modified his thoughts about chopping jobs. (Bloomberg $)
+ Right here’s how the deal has unfolded over the previous 10 months. (Insider $)

2 Meta is a large number proper now
Fb’s not trying wholesome, and it’s nonetheless ready for the metaverse to catch on. (NY Magazine $)
+ Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse gamble will maintain shedding cash. (Bloomberg $)
+ He doesn’t appear to thoughts that an excessive amount of, nonetheless. (Insider $)
+ Meta’s market worth has plunged by greater than $65 billion. (The Guardian)

3 Our urge for food for fossil fuels is predicted to peak by 2035
The conflict in Ukraine has accelerated the swap to cleaner vitality. (New Scientist $)
+ The US company in command of creating fossil fuels has a radical new job. (MIT Expertise Assessment)

4 Recycling EV batteries is undoubtedly difficult
Devoted gigafactories may very well be our greatest wager. (Economist $)

5 China’s entrepreneurs are going through powerful decisions
They’ll keep in an more and more hostile China, or threat it abroad. (WSJ $)
+ A professional-China group is clumsily attempting to unfold US election disinfo. (Wired $)
+ How the false rumor of a Chinese language coup went viral. (MIT Expertise Assessment)

6 Puerto Rico’s energy grid by no means totally recovered from Hurricane Maria
Residents are nonetheless tormented by energy outages 5 years later. (The Verge)
+ How Google alerted individuals to an earthquake earlier than it occurred. (Wired $)
+ Predicting—and making ready for—the worst. (MIT Expertise Assessment)

7 A mysterious particle appeared following an area explosion
Consultants hope it may show the existence of darkish matter. (Quanta Journal)